Vulnerable Feelings
by SLTheOneAndAwesome
Summary: Post-ACiT. Headcanon where Klunk arrives at the Clock. Klunk is not used to the seemingly organic emotions that have started to swarm him upon his arrival at the Clock. He is also terrible at dealing with his feelings, resulting in a spat between him and Sigmund. SigmundxKlunk if you squint


Klunk was sitting on the edge of the translucent glass platform that acted as the Clock's landing bay, turned firmly away from the Orvus Chamber, which was open just a few hundred meters behind him. He did not want to see Sigmund and he did not want to deal with the Zoni. He just wanted to sit and wait for his anger to evaporate from him, just as all of his negative feelings tended to do the more time he spent in the Great Clock.

The worst part was that his rage was generated from such a pathetic spat between himself and Sigmund. He knew he had no right to be nearly as irritated as he was, in fact Sigmund had a far greater right to be angry with _him_ then the other way around, but he was so swarmed by his emotions that sense was not culminating too well in his mind.

It was such a stupid argument, and it was caused by the strangely organic emotions that Klunk had discovered were developing more and more each day in the Clock. He felt _underappreciated_, and he couldn't stand the fact that even _Sigmund_, the robot who tried so hard to elate Klunk, was leading to this feeling. He felt controlled and inferior and he wanted to rid himself of these pained feelings.

And of course it started by him asking in the most immature and petulant manner that he could remember his vocal processor emitting, "If I am the one with the access codes to the Orvus Chamber, then why am _I_ simply _Junior_ Caretaker?"

Sigmund was taken aback by the accusation, and Klunk was sure it was because the naïve robot had never questioned his place when he had the meager title, before Clank abandoned him alone in this extravagant machine. His optics blinked for a moment as he tried to process how to answer his companion.

"Because there has always been a Senior and a Junior Caretaker of the Clock. The Senior Caretaker chooses his successor if ever he were to need to pass on his position. Orvus passed the title to Clank and Clank passed the job on to me." Sigmund explained.

"I understand the semantics behind the titles. I mean, if I have greater access to the Clock's contents, then why do I have an inferior position to yours? Why are our positions not equal? Why are we not simply "Caretakers"? Why bother with the titles elevating one Caretaker above another?"

"Because only one Caretaker can have access to the Chronoscepter, Klunk. You know that." Sigmund was holding the scepter now as he stared down at Klunk, still trying to figure out how to diffuse the conflict for the smaller robot.

"And why is that? Why was Clank entrusted the Chronoscepter but not I? Did Orvus not think me trustworthy? Was it because I was created for villainy?" Klunk found his optics pointing to the floor, not wanting to look Sigmund in the eye as he discovered how vulnerable he was feeling and how it augmented his other emotions. "Orvus could never trust me with complete control of the Clock, could he?"

"Klunk it's not that, it's just that I've been here longer than you. I understand how the Clock works much better than you."

Klunk's optics narrowed and he turned a glare onto the taller robot, "That is no excuse! Clank knew just as little of the Clock's capabilities when he first arrived! I have been here longer than his sojourn here! I have learned more than Clank could have ever understood of the Clock in such a short period of time."

"But Clank had a program designed by Orvus to inform him of all of that when he entered the Mnemonic Station. You've been in the station and had no such program engage. You have to learn the old fashioned way, through observation and processing, and that means that it'll take longer."

"So it all comes back to Orvus's inability to trust me. He knew of my existence! He had to, otherwise there would be no explanation for my soul! And yet he could not have a similar remnant installed in my programming? Why?"

"Klunk, I understand that you're upset-"

"I am not upset!" Klunk ignored the fact that his tone made it obvious he was lying but he did not care. He either wanted answers or for this conversation to end, and neither seemed to be happening. "Disappointment is a _squishy_ emotion." He added insistently.

"Klunk, you' ve spent enough time here to know emotions aren't exclusively organic." Sigmund pointed out bluntly. "You've experienced a whole range of emotions, even before you came to the Clock."

"I know that! Now, if you are done correcting me, there is work to be done in here. That is why _I_ opened this chamber, is it not?" Klunk did not notice the spite in his voice until he watched Sigmund rear backward, offended.

Sigmund recovered from the insult and murmured, wanting desperately to reduce the tension, "We're meant to be a team Klunk. That's why we work well together."

"That is a flawed logic. Imagine if one of us were to leave or be damaged. The Clock would not survive."

Sigmund looked up at the glass dome ceiling, and muttered so quietly that Klunk nearly missed it, "No, she survives just fine. It's dreadfully lonely though."

Klunk, frustrated with being corrected by the other robot grunted, "Sentimental fool."

Sigmund's gaze snapped back to him and Klunk turned on his heel and left.

Now he was still sitting on the edge of the glass platform, wondering if Sigmund knew that the reason he was so quick to leave the Chamber was because he could not stand seeing the hurt in Sigmund's optics and knowing that he was the cause.

Sigmund probably assumed that the reason he left so quickly was because he was sick of dealing with his idiocy.

Klunk sighed. He would correct Sigmund once he sorted through his own emotions. For now he was a swirl of hurt and disappointment, as much as he wished to deny it. Guilt for hurting his fellow Caretaker was a new variable in the equation, making it even harder to find the positive emotions he needed to confront Sigmund again.

Why was Clank granted so much control when he first arrived at the Clock, especially when Orvus suspected that he would want to leave to follow Ratchet around the universe? Was he given so much power in an effort to tempt him to stay?

For Klunk, it would be a desire to understand and utilize the power. Would that work for Clank? No, Sigmund said the major factor to drawing his doppelganger to stay was the sheer responsibility such power granted him. The idea that without him the universe could fall.

No such thoughts would have run through Klunk's mind if he was granted such control upon his arrival to the Clock. Especially since Klunk remembered his first few days here, when his soul was slowly starting to override Nefarious's programming. He would have still been twisted with thoughts of vengeance against his double and his squishy pet, rather than a desire to protect the universe.

But now Nefarious's programming was nearly gone from his mind. He understood a need to wait, but surely it had been long enough? Klunk's disappointment was generated by his lack of say in the Clock in order to run it more efficiently. That must have been a sign that his intentions were pure enough to deserve control, was it not?

Klunk sulked as he realized it was possible to grow even further. Perhaps his outburst was completely unnecessary, his low emotions a waste of time and his sitting here contemplating it now excessing it because he could not see his full potential. And perhaps Orvus could. Orvus had not been limited by the linear fashions of time. Perhaps he had seen Klunk grow into a robot worthy of the knowledge of the Clock that he relied on Sigmund for. There was a better Klunk in the future that he could attain to be, he was simply not there yet.

Klunk bitterly realized that fact was probably true. Especially if he could still be so cruel to Sigmund, the one robot who had never intended to offend or control him in his short life.

His conscience was telling him to kick his servos into gear and go apologize to Sigmund, but his pride insists he wait it out.

"Emotions are far too confusing. I do not understand why Orvus found them to be a necessity."

"I dunno," Klunk spun around, surprised to see Sigmund standing behind him, twiddling his thumbs nervously, "I think all of those uplifting emotions are worth suffering through the bad ones."

Klunk simply blinked his optics at the Senior Caretaker, unsure of how to respond. Was this Sigmund's way of telling him he was forgiven? That he was willing to let Klunk occasionally offend him, so long as he spent the rest of their time together being amicable?

"You were never a villain, Klunk." Sigmund added, "And Orvus would have never judged you based on your actions before you came to the Clock. That was Nefarious and what he programmed into your hard drive."

"That seems too easy an excuse for my actions in the past."

"You feel remorse for them, which means you've grown from then. Besides, Orvus obviously anticipated that you would come to the Clock. He designed some sort of override that nullified Nefarious's programming and replaced it with the Klunk you are now. And I like this Klunk, even if he lashes out when he's confused about the changes his hardware is going though." Klunk stared at the ground uneasily, knowing that Sigmund's accusations were absolutely true.

"For whatever reason, Orvus didn't give you the same knowledge he gave Clank. Perhaps he thought Clank didn't have the capacity to learn the way you do. Nefarious designed you to be much more observational than Clank. That may be a factor in Orvus's decision."

Klunk had never considered that. There were all sorts of records of Clank's life on the Clock's computers, from Orvus observing the robot he had designed to be his successor. He had seen how naïve and ignorant Clank was when he was first created, making simple mistakes that even his idiot squishy comrade had noted were ridiculous. Klunk had made no such mistakes when he was first created. His largest flaw was having a bit of a mouth, which somehow hadn't clued Ratchet or the rest of the Q-Force to his true identity.

Like he'd said earlier, the squishy was an idiot.

"You truly believe that Orvus thought I had superior comprehensive skills to Clank?" Klunk couldn't help but have to repeat what Sigmund had insinuated. The very idea that Orvus put such thought into him made him swell with a small sort of pride.

"It's possible. Of course, you're a pretty great guy to begin with Klunk. Maybe you shouldn't compare yourself to Clank. You may have been based off of his design, but you're pretty good on your own merits." Sigmund gave him a small smile as he spoke. "You shouldn't feel so down over something as minor as a tutorial program in your code." Sigmund shrugged as he added, "Besides, we wouldn't want you to feel burdened by me if you could do everything alone."

"No, even if I learned every working of the Clock and had the abilities to maintain it on my own, I would work much faster with you by my side."

Sigmund's smile disappeared as he noted, "Speaking of working quickly, this spat has put us behind schedule. We better get going!"

"But I thought we had all of the time in the universe." Klunk noted smugly as he started walking towards the Orvus Chamber.

"True, but that doesn't mean we should waste it!"


End file.
